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4.02 AVERAGE
4.02 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
funny
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A bit slow paced but I still loved characters and the development of Lore and Fallon's relationship.
THANK GOODNESS THIS PICKED UP RIGHT WHERE HOUSE OF BEATING WINGS LEFT OFF!!
We were chomping at the bit waiting for this book. So much happened right at the end of HOBW and then Olivia just CUT US OFF (we still love you girl)
We'll be honest, there were soooo many times in this that we hated and cursed Fallon. We so desperately wanted to just slap the stupid out of her. But of course, with great writing comes great character growth, so it didn't take too long for that to turn around and for us to root for her. Her sweet friends helped out alot, helping her see and understand things when she wasTOO DUMB too stubborn to figure out for herself. Friendship plays such a huge role in this story and we love to see it.
Lore quickly became our favorite in this book. We liked him in HOBW but loved him in HOPH. Olivia was really able to expand on his character in this book and it was definitely worth the wait.
Remember that this is FANTASY so there is still alot of world building and learning to do. Still things that you won't understand and aren't meant to yet. The last 50 pages or so seems to continually be the best in each book and keeps you wanting more and more. Now we have to chomp at the bit for House of Striking Oaths!
We were chomping at the bit waiting for this book. So much happened right at the end of HOBW and then Olivia just CUT US OFF (we still love you girl)
We'll be honest, there were soooo many times in this that we hated and cursed Fallon. We so desperately wanted to just slap the stupid out of her. But of course, with great writing comes great character growth, so it didn't take too long for that to turn around and for us to root for her. Her sweet friends helped out alot, helping her see and understand things when she was
Lore quickly became our favorite in this book. We liked him in HOBW but loved him in HOPH. Olivia was really able to expand on his character in this book and it was definitely worth the wait.
Remember that this is FANTASY so there is still alot of world building and learning to do. Still things that you won't understand and aren't meant to yet. The last 50 pages or so seems to continually be the best in each book and keeps you wanting more and more. Now we have to chomp at the bit for House of Striking Oaths!
adventurous
challenging
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
No
this review contains spoilers.
i see everyone giving low star reviews hating on Fallon. i do emphasize; i didnt like her naive worldview in the first book - but i do understand her here. maybe i am not deep enough into the suspension of disbelief in fantasy, but i too, would be royally pissed off if someone treated me like Lore.
in an unexpected turn of events, it's lore who annoyed me this time. He basically imprisons her and is amused when Fallon is pissed about it. Only ever amused. I cant even fault her for making the not smart decision to leave the Sky City. They probably would have only needed one proper conversation, and for that i blame Lore. He doesn't tell her ANYTHING and it pissed me off. Didn't tell her his name, didn't tell her there was more to do for her after freeing his crows, didn't tell her about the mate thing, didn't tell her about his mother, didn't tell her about Bronwen and their relations, didn't tell her where her mother and grandmother are... Just anything. Just to be the good guy who is always right in the end because obviously he had more information than fallon.
i really felt for fallon and her not having a place anymore. she was forced to join the crows, and i understand that she didnt want that, but to finally have a choice. but then, her home life didn't exist anymore either, and for the rest of her friends she was a danger to be near and their cause, so she really had no place to go and was given all the fault. everyone told her to go back to the crows, and i really hated it. did lore court her, be honest, give her anything besides possessiveness and a gilded cage? nope. and he fucking. never. respects. her boundaries.
just an example of wonderful communication here:
i see everyone giving low star reviews hating on Fallon. i do emphasize; i didnt like her naive worldview in the first book - but i do understand her here. maybe i am not deep enough into the suspension of disbelief in fantasy, but i too, would be royally pissed off if someone treated me like Lore.
in an unexpected turn of events, it's lore who annoyed me this time. He basically imprisons her and is amused when Fallon is pissed about it. Only ever amused. I cant even fault her for making the not smart decision to leave the Sky City. They probably would have only needed one proper conversation, and for that i blame Lore. He doesn't tell her ANYTHING and it pissed me off. Didn't tell her his name, didn't tell her there was more to do for her after freeing his crows, didn't tell her about the mate thing, didn't tell her about his mother, didn't tell her about Bronwen and their relations, didn't tell her where her mother and grandmother are... Just anything. Just to be the good guy who is always right in the end because obviously he had more information than fallon.
i really felt for fallon and her not having a place anymore. she was forced to join the crows, and i understand that she didnt want that, but to finally have a choice. but then, her home life didn't exist anymore either, and for the rest of her friends she was a danger to be near and their cause, so she really had no place to go and was given all the fault. everyone told her to go back to the crows, and i really hated it. did lore court her, be honest, give her anything besides possessiveness and a gilded cage? nope. and he fucking. never. respects. her boundaries.
just an example of wonderful communication here:
"who bound my powers, Lore?"
i wait for him to answer.
and wait.
when we dock, the sky king still has not answered me.
LORE however is reading her thoughts, drops into her head whenever he wants, but doesnt care to explain any of his motivations.
and after all this shit, later he says unironically that he "would never corner fallon" or "force her into something", when that's all he did for the majority of the book.
while the first 70% of the book dragged like hell, it finally picked off at the end, what kind of saved it for me.
i really don't understand why the hate is only focused on fallon, because for me, both are a piece of work. i will finish this series only for the worldbuilding, plot and to get a conclusion.
PS: Dante is a piece of fae trash, but we already knew that.
adventurous
challenging
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
House of Pounding Hearts – The Kingdom of Crows #2 - Review
Couple: Fallon & Dante Regio…& (maybe) Lore
Author: Olivia Wildenstein
Tropes: dark fantasy romance, enemy to lover, love triangle, fated mates, hidden heir/identity, magical quest/treasure hunt, found family
Review: Welcome back to the Kingdom of Crows! In this spell-binding next installment we follow Fallon again as her world is rocked and new truths are unearthed about her prior life. In this book we learn about her connection to Lore and her mysterious parentage.
I loved how this book had her become more adaptable…if slowly at first. The way Olivia forced the growth on her due to an overload of change was remarkable since it was understandable why she refused to allow Lore in but also ironic since he was also the only one who could really help her. This book also introduces Fallon’s long last father who happens to be on of Lore’s closest friends….let’s talk about that forbidden lust! I enjoyed reading the developing bond between her and her father and with the other Crows as she learns more and more about her history.
The book still focuses on the war Dante wants to inflict upon the Crows and their Air Kingdom and I found myself wanting to shake since into Fallon at times. The amount of chances she gives him does finally hit its end towards the end of this book and we finally get to see her accept her bond to Lore and her part in the prophecy.
Lore on the other hand is a MMC that I am fully behind. Even though we only get once chapter from him at that shocking ending I never saw coming, we get to see his character evolve into a true King of Crows. His wit and banter with his court and Fallon was to die for and I found myself laughing at times from his dry and dark humor. I also really liked all his alphahole touch-her-and-die vibes. The love he had for her was shown in the many ways he cared for her and all the tiny things he did to help her adjust to the changes she was facing…including allowing her to travel back to her old home.
This book heats up in spice and chemistry and I was there for IT. Fallon and Lore and perfect together and I cannot wait for the final part of their story! I am anxious to see if we get more from Lore’s POV after that nail biting ending and cliffhanger. I also hope we get to meet the isolated island of witches in the next book!
Rating: 10/10, the ending…LORE!!
Couple: Fallon & Dante Regio…& (maybe) Lore
Author: Olivia Wildenstein
Tropes: dark fantasy romance, enemy to lover, love triangle, fated mates, hidden heir/identity, magical quest/treasure hunt, found family
Review: Welcome back to the Kingdom of Crows! In this spell-binding next installment we follow Fallon again as her world is rocked and new truths are unearthed about her prior life. In this book we learn about her connection to Lore and her mysterious parentage.
I loved how this book had her become more adaptable…if slowly at first. The way Olivia forced the growth on her due to an overload of change was remarkable since it was understandable why she refused to allow Lore in but also ironic since he was also the only one who could really help her. This book also introduces Fallon’s long last father who happens to be on of Lore’s closest friends….let’s talk about that forbidden lust! I enjoyed reading the developing bond between her and her father and with the other Crows as she learns more and more about her history.
The book still focuses on the war Dante wants to inflict upon the Crows and their Air Kingdom and I found myself wanting to shake since into Fallon at times. The amount of chances she gives him does finally hit its end towards the end of this book and we finally get to see her accept her bond to Lore and her part in the prophecy.
Lore on the other hand is a MMC that I am fully behind. Even though we only get once chapter from him at that shocking ending I never saw coming, we get to see his character evolve into a true King of Crows. His wit and banter with his court and Fallon was to die for and I found myself laughing at times from his dry and dark humor. I also really liked all his alphahole touch-her-and-die vibes. The love he had for her was shown in the many ways he cared for her and all the tiny things he did to help her adjust to the changes she was facing…including allowing her to travel back to her old home.
This book heats up in spice and chemistry and I was there for IT. Fallon and Lore and perfect together and I cannot wait for the final part of their story! I am anxious to see if we get more from Lore’s POV after that nail biting ending and cliffhanger. I also hope we get to meet the isolated island of witches in the next book!
Rating: 10/10, the ending…LORE!!
Fantastical and Gripping...!
I’m falling deeper into this world and more in love with these characters with every word I read.
Even better, although they are an ongoing series - with cliffhangers - each book feels like an epic journey in itself and is worth every moment of time I spend reading and re-reading them.
This second instalment of The Kingdom of Crows series is definitely no placeholder in the storyline and is just as fantastical and gripping as the first.
I’m falling deeper into this world and more in love with these characters with every word I read.
Even better, although they are an ongoing series - with cliffhangers - each book feels like an epic journey in itself and is worth every moment of time I spend reading and re-reading them.
This second instalment of The Kingdom of Crows series is definitely no placeholder in the storyline and is just as fantastical and gripping as the first.
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
While I found this to be overly long qnd drawn out, with not enough character or plot development, I've grown quite fond of this world and these characters so I'll probably still read the last book to complete the series.